Machine



(No Model.)

W. HUFF.

' WASHING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 10, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENI OFFICE.

IVILLIAM IIUFF, OF LANDESS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES C. HUFF, OF SAME PLACE.

WASHING-MACHINE.

. srncrrrcnrron forming part of Letters ratent No. 462,946, dated November '10, 1891.

Application filed May 16,1891- Serial No. 392,987. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM IIUFF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Landess, in the county of Grant and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to IO which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speci fication, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my imr 5 proved double-acting washing-machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same on a vertical plane through the middle. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on line a: or in Fig. 2, and Fig. l is a perspective view of the inside rubber removed from the machine.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to washing-machines 2 5 of the type known technically as reciprocating rubbers; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of a double-acting machine of that class, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the 'sudsboX, which has a smooth concave bottom 13, made, preferably, of zinc or galvanized sheet-iron and straight parallel sides 0 C. The latter are bored through on opposite sides for the insertion of the movable trunnion-pins D D, upon which the two rubbers swing. The larger or outside one of these consists of the the straight side pieces E E and convex hot- 40 tom F, made of parallel slats with narrow openings between them, the sides having slanting handles G G connected at their upper ends by the cross-piece II. The smaller inside rubber is constructed in substantially the same manner, consisting of the parallel sides E E, convex slat bottom F,and inclined handles G G,connected by the crosspiece H but the handles are set or inclined in a direction opposite to the handles G G of 5c the outside rubber, though at the same angle.

To place the outside rubber in the sudsbox A it is necessary to first move a pair of turn-buttons I I, which are pivoted on the outside of the suds-box, to one side, so as to uncover from the outside the apertures through which the pins or bearings D D are inserted. These may then be pushed out from the inside, so as to be withdrawn from the holes in the sides of the outer rubber, when this can be easily lifted out of the suds-box. The inside smaller rubber is hung upon the inwardly-projecting ends of the trunnion-pins D D by means of vertical recesses or grooves K, out into the sides E E on the outside and extending from the bottom F radially up to the point f, forming the center, in the circle of which the convex bottom of the rubber forms the segment. This construction permits the inside rubber to be lifted out of the machine and replaced without disturbing the movable trunnionpins D D, which require to be pushed outonly when it is desired to remove the larger outside rubber. \Vhen the machine is in use, these pins are prevented from coming out by the turn-buttons I, as shown in Fig. 3. It will be observed that both the inner and outer rubbers are hung upon a common center-viz., theinwardly-projecting ends of the trunnion pins or bearings D D-and by the arrangement of the inclined handles of the respective rubbers these will, when the rubbers are placed in the suds-box in their proper working position, project therefrom at approximately right angles to each other,wit-h an- 8 5 gles of about forty-five degrees between them and the top of the suds-box. This position of the handles makes it easy for the operator standing at one end of the machine to simultaneously work both handles in opposite direc- 9o tions, using the right hand for one and the left hand for the other; or, if desired, the machine may be Worked by two persons, one standing at each end and each manipulating one of the rubbers. Again, if it should be de- 5 sired to operate the machine as an ordinary single-acting rubber, the outside or bottom rubber may be fastened to the suds-box by in serting a pin L through a small hole Z in one of the sides 0 near the top of the suds-box and into a registering hole m in the adjacent side E of the outside rubber, thus holding the latter stationary, while the inside rubber may be reciprocated in the usual manner. I

To use the machine, whether used as a single or double acting rubber, the batch of clothes to be washed is placed in the concave receptacle formed by the outside rubber, the inner rubber having first been lifted oft of its bearings D D. The inside rubber is then replaced, and the rubbers are manipulated by one or two operators, as above described, thus subjecting the clothes to a thorough rubbing on both sides. As there is no pressure or friction whatever against the bottom B, this can be made very thin, so as to reduce the weight of the machine, and as this bottom is perfectly smooth on the inside there are no nooks, corners, or other recesses where water can collect and rust the bottom after the suds have once been drawn offthrough the usual plugged hole in one side of the suds-box after washing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent.- of the United States The combination, in a reciprocating-rubber washing-machine, of the suds-box having a smooth bottom and provided with the outside turn-buttons I, sliding trunnion-pins D, outside rubber having inclined handles and side apertures for the insertion of the inner'ends of the movable trunnion-pins, and inside rubher having vertical recesses or grooves in the sides, whereby it may be suspended upon the projecting inner ends of the movable trunnion-pins and provided with handles inclined in an opposite direction but at a corresponding angle to the slanting handles of the out side rubber, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

v WILLIAM HUFF.

Witnesses:

W. G. Lone, JOHN ELwooD. 

